St Mary's Church, Dorchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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St Mary's Church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Dorchester, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Charles Ponting |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1912 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 750 |
| Materials | Purbeck Marble |
St Mary's Church, also called St Mary the Virgin, is a Church of England church. You can find it in Fordington, which is part of Dorchester, Dorset, England. This beautiful church was built between 1910 and 1912. It cost about £11,500 to build back then.
St Mary's Church is a very important building. In 1975, it was given a special status called Grade II* listed. This means it's a building of more than special interest. Its gate pillars also received a Grade II listing at the same time. Experts describe St Mary's as "large and lavish" with a "high quality finish". Some even call it the best work of its architect, Charles Ponting. The church is mostly made from Purbeck Marble. It also uses Bath stone for some parts and around the windows. It was designed to hold up to 750 people.
Contents
Building a New Church: St Mary's History
Why a New Church Was Needed
St Mary's Church was built from 1910 to 1912. It replaced an older, temporary church. That first church was made of wood and corrugated iron. People called it the "Tin Tabernacle." It was put up in 1896–97. This was because the number of people living in Dorchester was growing fast. The Tin Tabernacle served the area of West Fordington.
Planning and Fundraising for St Mary's
People started raising money for a permanent church in 1901. The architect, Charles Ponting, drew the plans in 1907. Everyone wanted a proper church building.
Choosing the Right Location
In 1907, there were some disagreements about where to build the new church. The local people and the vicar of West Fordington had different ideas. So did the Bishop of Salisbury, John Wordsworth. Bishop Wordsworth thought the new church should be further south. He did not want it built where the Tin Tabernacle stood.
After some changes to the church areas, everyone agreed in 1909. A kind person named Mr. J. Foot gave a new piece of land. He donated it to honor his father.
The Church Is Built and Opened
On April 21, 1910, a special ceremony took place. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 9th Earl of Shaftesbury, laid the first stone. This is called the foundation stone. Two years later, on July 11, 1912, the church was officially opened. This is called "consecrated." St Mary's then became the main church for West Fordington in 1929. It took over from Christ Church.
